This invention relates to printers, and more particularly to an interface module, a method of controlling the interface module, and an information record medium for recording programs for controlling the interface module.
Accounting apparatus such as registers, receipt issuing machines and the like in retail trade are used for printing price statements, sales slips, receipts and the like to be given to customers by retailers. Therefore, these accounting apparatus are equipped with printers. Due to restrictions under the accounting and tax laws, retailers are often required to keep copies of such price statements, sales slips receipts and the like. These copies kept by retailers in the accounting apparatus are called journals.
In order to deal with the requirements above, a technique has been proposed that uses a two-sheet printer having two sets of character-graphic printers (a combination of a printhead, a platen, a paper feeder and the like) for printing receipts and journals separately. Another technique using a double sheet of paper using a carbon copy as what is intended to print a receipt and a journal is also used.
However, the technique of using the two-sheet printer equipped with two sets of character-graphic printers tends to increase the whole apparatus size and such a two-sheet printer is impossible to install in some retail stores whose store area is limited. There is also another problem arising from the fact that installation of the two sets of character-graphic printers will result in raising the production and maintenance costs.
Further, the technique of using a double sheet of paper also poses a problem in that paper cost tends to increase because printable paper is limited to carbon copy paper. Moreover, still another problem is that noise will be produced during the print operation because only an impact dot (wire dot) driving method for printing characters by pressing an ink ribbon against paper is usable for the printhead of the character-graphic printer.
In order to solve environmental problems arising from disposing carbon copy paper as well as dealing with the noise produced, there is a growing demand for not using a double sheet of paper but using a non-impact dot printhead (a thermal head ink-jet driving head and the like).
There is also an increasing demand for preserving not only journal data as the information printed on paper but also the data in the form of what can be processed by an information processor like a computer.
There is a further demand for saving precious paper resources by preserving the journal information in that form and dealing with the environmental problems by decreasing the amount of waste.
An object of the present invention intended to solve the foregoing problems is to provide an interface module which is fitted in the expanded slot of a printer and connected to a host computer, and used for extracting journal print data from the data received from the host computer in order to store the extracted data in a nonvolatile memory circuit and for extracting data for a record medium other than the journal print data and transmitting the extracted data to a printer in order to make the printer print a receipt. For example, the invention provides a method of controlling the printer; and an information record medium for recording programs for controlling the printer.
The present invention may provide one or more of the following features.
The present invention provides an interface module which is fitted in the expanded slot of a printer and connected to a host computer, and is used for extracting journal print data from the data received from the host computer in order to store the extracted data in a nonvolatile memory circuit and for extracting data for a record medium other than the journal print data and transmitting the extracted data to a printer in order to make the printer print a receipt. For example, the invention proposes a method of controlling the printer; and an information record medium for recording programs for controlling the printer.
In general, in one aspect, the invention features an interface module which is inserted into the interface board slot of a printer and includes receive structure for receiving data from a host computer, a journal-data extract device for extracting journal print data from the data received by the receive structure, a nonvolatile memory circuit for storing the journal print data extracted by the journal-data extract device, transmitted-data extract structure for extracting data to be transmitted to the printer from the data received by the receive structure, and a transmit device for transmitting to the printer the transmitted data extracted by the transmitted-data extract structure.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of controlling an interface module which interface module is inserted into the interface board slot of a printer. The method comprises the steps of receiving the data received by a host computer, extracting journal print data from the data received thereby, storing the extracted journal print data at step in a nonvolatile memory circuit, extracting data to be transmitted to the printer from the data received thereby, and transmitting the received data extracted at step to the printer.
In another aspect, in an interface module having a nonvolatile memory circuit according to the present invention, an information record medium for storing programs for controlling the interface module which is inserted into the interface board slot of a printer is operated through the steps of receiving the data received by a host computer, extracting journal print data from the data received thereby, storing the extracted journal print data in the nonvolatile memory circuit, extracting data to be transmitted to the printer from the data received thereby, and transmitting the extracted transmitted data to the printer.
In another aspect, the invention features an interface board which is inserted into the interface board slot of a printer and includes a receiver for receiving the data transmitted from the host computer as received data via a host-computer interface, a journal-data-extract unit for extracting journal print data from the data received by the receiver, a nonvolatile memory circuit for storing the journal print data extracted by the journal-data-extract unit, a transmitted-data extract unit for extracting data to be transmitted to the printer from the data received by the receiver, and a transmitter for transmitting the transmitted data extracted by the transmitted-data extract unit to the printer via a printer interface.
In yet another aspect, the invention features a method of controlling the interface board according to the present invention as the method of controlling the interface board inserted into the interface board slot of the printer and used for receiving commands exchanged between the host computer and the printer. The method comprises the steps of receiving the first data from the host computer, deciding the kind of the first data received therefrom, and on finding the kind of the first data received therefrom to be journal print data, storing the journal print data in the nonvolatile memory circuit on the interface board when the first received data is journal print data.
In still yet another aspect, the invention features a method of controlling the interface board as the method of controlling the interface board inserted into the interface board slot of the printer and used for receiving commands exchanged between the host computer and the printer. The method comprises the steps of receiving the data transmitted from the host computer as received data, deciding the kind of the data received therefrom, and on finding the kind of the data received therefrom to be journal print data, storing the journal print data in the nonvolatile memory circuit on the interface board when the received data is the journal print data.
In another aspect, the invention features a method of controlling the interface board according to the present invention as the method of controlling the interface board inserted into the interface board slot of the printer and used for receiving commands exchanged between the host computer and the printer. The method comprises the steps of receiving the data transmitted from the host computer as received data, deciding the kind of the data received therefrom, on finding the kind of the data received therefrom to be journal print data, storing the journal print data in the nonvolatile memory circuit on the interface board when the received data is journal print data on finding the kind of data received therefrom to be data other than the journal print data, transmitting the data to the printer.
In another aspect, the invention features an interface module according to the present invention which is connected between the host computer and the printer and inserted into the interface board slot of the printer. The interface module includes structure for receiving data from the host computer and removing received data which the printer is unable to cope with out of the data received therefrom.
Further, programs for controlling the interface module according to the present invention can be stored in an information record medium such as a compact disk, a floppy disk, a hard disk, a magneto-optic disk, a digital video disk, a magnetic tape or the like.
The invention features one or more of the following advantages.
An interface module can be provided wherein an interface module which is fitted in the expanded slot of a printer and connected to a host computer. The interface module is used for extracting journal print data from the data received from the host computer in order to store the extracted data in a nonvolatile memory circuit and for extracting data other than the journal print data for a record medium. The extracted data is transmitted to the printer in order to make the printer print a receipt, for example. A method of controlling the interface module is also provided.
When accounting application software for use in separately printing a journal and a receipt (e.g., with a two-sheet printer) is operated, journal print data can be stored as an electronic journal only by inserting the interface board according to the present invention into the interface board slot of the printer without changing the printer. Therefore, cost reduction is made achievable by utilizing a printer (a so-called one station receipt printer) having only one printhead.
Since the printer is used to print data out of the journal print data by transmitting the journal print data stored in the nonvolatile memory circuit, it is possible to provide an interface module capable of printing the same print image as the initial print image prepared by the host computer on a print medium and a method of controlling the interface module.
As journal print data is also printable using a printer for printing receipts, cost reduction becomes feasible without using an expensive two-sheet printer.
An interface module capable of effectively utilizing the storage capacity of the nonvolatile memory circuit can be provided because the contents of the nonvolatile memory circuit can be deleted after print data out of the journal print data is printed together with the method of controlling the interface module.
When the printer fitted with the interface module according to the present invention is used as a printer in accounting, the contents of the nonvolatile memory circuit can be deleted provided the journal print data is printed at predetermined time intervals in settling accounts of stores.
Cost reduction is achievable because it is possible to communicate with a printer by making use of inexpensive all-purpose connectors.
The interface module can be mounted in the case of the printer to save the office space and to improve the appearance of the office.
Information record media with programs recorded therein can easily be distributed and sold as software products independent of interface modules. When the program recorded in the information record medium according to the present invention is read out of ROM of the interface module and executed, it is possible to utilize the interface module and control the interface module according to the present invention.
Since an electronic journal (journal print data) is stored in the flash memory on the interface board, the electronic journal can easily be printed according to the command received from the host computer even though the interface board is replaced. The interface module may alternatively be inserted into any other printer. The interface module is portable and set free from being damaged during transportation because it is equipped with flash memory.
The electronic journal can be preserved as long as any existing printer is loadable with the interface board, so that such an existing printer is utilizable. Moreover, saving of paper resources as well as not having to use carbon copy paper has the effect of improving environmental protection.
The present invention is advantageous in that the flash memory is so arranged as to prevent a serial number (ID) inherent in an interface board from being deleted to ensure its security. The host computer puts the serial number of the interface board under control, for example, and this ensures that its security is enhanced because unless the serial number of a specific interface board is identified after the interface board is replaced, read/write of an electronic journal on the unidentified interface board is prevented.
Even when the host computer is without a print driver corresponding to the printer, various kinds of printers can be dealt with by emulating the printer driver on the interface board.